Archive for ravens

SMITTY: He was seen limping to the locker room after the game and wasn’t in the game on the final and important possession. We will keep you posted, but there is some reason to be concerned here. If out for Week 14, Steve Smith Sr. would get a nice fantasy bump and would be a great buy-low candidate for anyone’s WR3 slot.

SMITTY: Early word is that this will keep him out a game or so, but it could be longer. We will keep you updated, but for now, the team will turn to rookie Crockett Gillmore. Looking for Week 8 Power Rankings?

In Thursday night’s Week 2 contest between the Ravens and the Steelers, TE Owen Daniels pulled in 5 passes for 28 yards and 2TDs, WR Steve Smith pulled in 6 passes for 71 yards and Dennis Pitta pulled in 3 passes for 30 yards. Bernard Pierce ran 22 times for 56 yards, while Justin Forset ran the ball 8 times for 56 yards (and added 4 receptions for 16 yards). On the Steelers side of the football, Le’Veon Bell ran the ball 11 times for 59 yards and pulled in 5 passes for 48 yards; Antonio Brown pulled in 7 balls for 90 yards despite leaving for almost a quarter with a head injury.

SMITTY: The important takeaways from this game are: First, Le’Veon Bell looks fantastic. He is speedy, shifty, he doesn’t look like the same rusher that we saw last year… he could be in for a big 2014. Second, Steve Smith isn’t done yet and is in a unique situation to produce for one more season. Will he be a fantasy WR2? I’d say probably not, but he has solid fantasy WR3 upside this year, he really does. Be sure to sign-up for our Smart Alerts, especially to keep tabs on players like Antonio Brown (head), who left this game for a bit to go through some concussion protocols. He appears fine, but our Smart Alerts are where it’s at to get all kinds of updates all week long!

According to multiple reports, the Ravens have in fact released RB Ray Rice after new video was released showing Rice knock out his fiance in a hotel elevator back in February.

SMITTY: It’s actually official, Ray Rice has been released. It is hard to imagine any team giving him a chance under this light, nor does Rice deserve a chance given what took place in this newly-released video. This makes Justin Forsett the top pick-up of the Week, as he now is thrusted into the starting role in Baltimore. Don’t count out either Bernard Pierce or rookie Lorenzo Taliaferro, who is one of the toughest runners I’ve ever seen, but for now the starting job in Baltimore is Forsett’s to lose. For more on this, and more on this week’s top waiver wire add options, be sure to sign-up for our Smart Alerts.

According to reports, Ravens RB Bernard Pierce has cleared concussion protocols and is set to start Week 1 while Ray Rice remains suspended (through Weeks 1 and 2).

SMITTY: Weeks 1 and 2 will be huge for Bernard Pierce, because if he doesn’t impress, Ray Rice will surely get a crack at starter carries upon his return in Week 3. Pierce, if healthy, has the skill set and talent to be a fantastic rusher in this league, though. Hopefully this is a RBBC all year long. Looking for Week 1 Power Rankings?

According to reports, Ravens RB Bernard Pierce (concussion) is experiencing “relatively minor” symptoms after suffering a concussion during his recent preseason action.

SMITTY: This is good news for Bernard Pierce owners, as he should be good to go for Week 1. Clearly check back here and there prior to Week 1, however, he hasn’t even officially been diagnosed with a concussion. Looking for Week 1 Power Rankings?

According to ESPN, Ravens RB Bernard Pierce “has been the best running back in camp. He played in a similar running scheme in college, and he has had the best transition to Kubiak’s stretch, zone-blocking runs.”

SMITTY: This situation is a tough one to predict. I still feel Ray Rice might have elite talent left, I don’t care how he looked last year. Bernard Pierce looked awful last year, and he is not. Pierce is a beast-in-waiting and could be a star if given starter carries. The problem here is that we don’t know which back will thrive, and that’s if they don’t destroy each other’s value. Will Rice’s two-game absence open the door for Pierce, or will Rice, after Weeks 1-2, never allow Pierce a full workload? A RBBC is possible. All I know is both runners have low-end RB1 upside if getting all the touches, but neither back likely will, so you cannot count on either, or even the duo, as a RB1 in 2014. The good news is that you won’t have to, as Rice has an ADP in roughly the early 6th-round, and Pierce is looking like an 8th-rounder… The duo is a sneaky RB2 in 2014. Looking for Week 1 Power Rankings?

According to baltimoresun.com, Ravens RB Ray Rice has “looked good” during training camp and has “looked like the Ray Rice of old.” Rice is suspended for the first two games of the 2014 NFL season.

SMITTY: I love Bernard Pierce, who gets two games to shine all by himself in Weeks 1 and 2, but Ray Rice certainly has a shot at regaining some of his previous form. He is only 27, only has 1,431 regular-season carries to his name, and only has one season with 300+ carries… no one on that Baltimore roster rushed well last season, so assuming last year’s disappointments on the ground in Baltimore were more due to the offensive line/team issues isn’t off-base. The tricky part with owning Rice is worrying about Pierce shinning in those first two games. You have to own both of these runners in 2014 if you want to play it safe, but the duo makes for a sneaky-good RB2.

According to Rand Getlin on Twitter, Ravens RB Ray Rice could see just a two-game suspension.

Update: The suspension has been confirmed as two games.

SMITTY: This is huge for Ray Rice owners, as he could still have a nice season with just two missed games. That said, Bernard Pierce is still a major threat for carries, especially given he gets two games to go nuts. The duo together is a very underrated RB2 in 2014 (and beyond). Looking for Week 1 Power Rankings?